The world of bandy and especially the Dutch and Swedish bandy are in mourning. One of the most popular coaches and leaders, Thomas Engström, has left us suddenly and unexpectedly during a bandy match in the beginning of September.
Thomas Engström was headcoach for the team Tillberga in Sweden. He was also head coach for the national team of Netherlands since the season 2016-2017.
The Netherlands World Champions 2018 among B-group teams.
Frank Peters, the Bandy Federation of Netherlands and member of FIB Technical Committee, tells about Tomas Engström’s significance for Dutch bandy:
-After the first World Championship in Trollhättan (Sweden) he came up with an ambitious plan to become World Champion for B-group teams in China 2018. During the first team meeting, he had a gold medal with him to show us that anything was possible. We were able to live up to his motto “it’s impossible, let’s do it” in 2018, thanks to him. Becoming World Champion in Group B in Harbin, China was a great highlight for Dutch Bandy, for which we will always be grateful to him. It was very deserved that he was chosen as the best coach during that tournament.
Frank Peters continues:
-His never-ending interest in our bandy and his enormous commitment to the team will probably never be equaled. He was always very active for our national team with also organizing multiple trainingcamps in Västerås. The fact that a lot of people in the community and clubs know and liked him was a big help for us.
-Thomas was not only our headcoach but also a good friend. Several persons in the group of players and leaders knew him already before that time. Some players have played bandy in Västerås for some years where he took really good care for them with everything from housing to bandy etc. We even get to know Thomas before that, in the years he was working for the FIB and Swedish Bandy Federation in the Development Committee developing B-countries, Frank Peters concludes.
Thomas Engström was 64 years old.